How was slavery in the U.S. different from slavery in the ancient world?

Answer 1

There is some speculation that the slavery in the U.S. was somehow supposed to be worse than that in the ancient world. The politically correct view is that in the ancient world slaves were treated as indentured servants while the USA practiced 'chattel' slavery.

This is a contentious view since indentured servitude has never been slavery and the ancients also practiced chattel slavery as well.

Another view is that slaves were treated fairly well in the USA since they were valuable property not to be damaged or misused. Plantations had 'house slaves' and slaves acting as butlers as well as the field slaves who did manual labor. It is said sometimes that in the U.S. slaves were more valuable than soldiers who were expendable during war and slaves were too expensive to lose in fighting.

Also, Massachusetts outlawed slavery in 1755; and then outlawed the fugitive slave act in 1845.

The United States outlawed the importation of new slaves in 1844 before the Emancipation Proclamation of 1865.

Answer 2

Slavery in the ancient world was most often based on the fact that the slave had been captured in a war or as part of a conquest of the country. The term slave comes from the word slav, referring to the Slavic peoples who were frequently captured as slaves for the roman empire.

The biggest difference was that it was not based on skin color or some idea of the divine right of whites to own blacks.

Answer 3

I'm not sure, but weren't slaves in ancient times generally the losing side in a war and the slaves in the U.S. were just people whose homes the traders had been to and just rounded up, i.e. no specific reason for it?!

Answer 4

It was pretty much the same, just in a different country.

Answer 5

Not one bit different.

Answer 6

a rose is a rose